FlightStats, Inc., a leader in global flight information services, part of FlightGlobal, is introducing Travel Waiver Services, a new service that will enable Travel Management Companies (TMCs) to automate the process of matching airline policy exception waivers to their travelers’ itineraries. Having this capability will save agents time, as well as aid TMCs in facilitating proactive re-accommodation and automated refunds.
Airlines issue waivers that offer exceptions to change fees and cancellation penalties during times of significant off-schedule operations, such as severe weather events, technical problems, or labor actions. However, the process of identifying trips that qualify for these waivers and handling them is very manual and labor-intensive.
Agents often end up calling the airline to verify that a trip qualifies, and to understand the details of applying for the waiver. Worse yet, this happens at the time when both the TMC and airline call centers can least afford it-- during substantial disruptions. The call centers are already overwhelmed with travelers needing re-accommodation, leading to longer hold times, which adds to their frustration.
“FlightStats has always been about getting the right information into the hands of the right people at the right time to minimize the impact of disruptions,” said Robyn Grassanovits, Head of Product at FlightStats. “Applying our experience and expertise to the problem of airline waivers was a natural extension of our vision. With Travel Waiver Services, TMCs will know immediately when new waivers are available and which of their trips qualify for the waiver, allowing them to proactively re-accommodate their most valuable travelers and automate key parts of the process.”
